this post was submitted on 17 Mar 2026
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We're taught both metric and US customary units in school. I prefer metric for most things, to the point I have a metric-only tape measure among other things.

However, I'll die on the hill that Fahrenheit is superior for ambient air temperature. 0 degrees to 100 degrees neatly encompasses the range of average surface temperatures seen throughout the year in the contiguous US.

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[–] dwt@feddit.org 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Non American here…. Why not just use the same units as the rest of the world? Just to be less confusing? So fareinheit you might like better, you’ll get along with Celsius too after getting used to them.

[–] LurkingLuddite@piefed.social -1 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (2 children)

The real answer is entire industries are already set up to produce certain measurements of materials. Outside of all the idiots whining, it would cost trillions to change many industries over to cleanly divisible products that would fit cleanly through the rest of supply chains.

An effort that I think should happen, but... well...

[–] Typhoon@lemmy.ca 1 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

The rest of the world converted. Is the US so special that they're the only ones who can't?

[–] LurkingLuddite@piefed.social 1 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

I already said it's an effort I think is worth it.

Go ahead and try to convince the thousands of corporations that are willing to spend millions lobbying Congress to save pennies per product that they suddenly need to change over such an arbitrary detail...

[–] Typhoon@lemmy.ca 0 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Every other country on the planet convinced their businesses to do it. Again you're saying that the US is special somehow that it can't.

[–] LurkingLuddite@piefed.social 1 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Again, you're not arguing with me, but with the companies that will spend millions to save pennies...

The US is special in that bribery is (now openly) legal. These corporations will not change just because Congress says so. They'll just change congress.

[–] dwt@feddit.org 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

You do realize, that all industries that sell worldwide already did this?

[–] LurkingLuddite@piefed.social 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Not US ones. Not the US wing of international ones.

Seriously, you do not fathom what I'm talking about...

For ONE example: Road signage. There are millions of mile markers in the US alone. That doesn't include bigger signs, like, "X service in Y miles". That doesn't include a lot.

Do you know how much each mile marker sign costs, let alone the much bigger signage? Even at tens of dollars, that's a lot of money, for one type of sign.

How many industries and other areas of daily life so you think include such verbiage?

Besides, I already said it's an effort I think is worth it, so you're just being a shithead.

[–] dwt@feddit.org 0 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Well, Road signs Need to be changed every twenty or so years anyway. So just switch them then. Who cares if the transition takes that long?

[–] LurkingLuddite@piefed.social 2 points 1 week ago

Most people with half a brain. Besides, road signs was just one example about cost, not feasability. Other industries, like construction, have a whole lot more invested in specific units.

Again, yes it's possible to switch, and I think it'd be worth it, but... again, go convince those industries that do everything possible to save pennies per product and tell them they have to change...